CAIRO: A student at the American University of Cairo was kidnapped and then released on Wednesday, according to the university's in-house news publications. Kamal El Laithy was kidnapped on the way from his home in the 6th of October neighborhood to an AUC bus stop. Details are yet to be confirmed, but it seems El Laithy was taken to Tanta, a city in the Nile Delta, where he finally escaped his captors and went to the army for help. El Laithy called his parented around 3:30pm to tell them he was ok, and returned home late Wednesday night. According to AUC's The Caravan, “El Laithy and his driver were reportedly pulled over to the side of the road by two white vans and abducted. They were being held for a ransom of EGP 1 million (U.S. $172,000), which according to relatives was not paid to the kidnappers upon El Leithy's retrieval.” It remains unclear as to whether El Laithy was kidnapped by his driver, or both he and his driver were kidnapped. The Caravan also said reports of attacks in and around Cairo are a cause for concern among staff and students at AUC, and said an unidentified female student was attacked earlier this week. “An online petition to temporarily suspend classes has begun circulating among students, who are demanding greater safety measures,” the student publication reported, adding, “Their demands include increased security presence near dorms, security personnel presence on university buses, and free access to safe parking spots within AUC's campus.” Some students have also called for the university to adopt the Ramadan class schedule, which would significantly shorted the academic day and allow students and faculty to leave campus before nightfall. BM
